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' (No Model.)

H. G. MOREHO'USB.

UNDERGROUND TUBE FOR ELEGTRIO WIRES.

No. 352,771. Patented Nov. 16, 1886.

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFF CE.

HERBERT G. MOREHOUSE, OF CROTON LANDING, NEW YORK.

UNDERGROUND TUBE FOR ELECTRIC WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,771, dated November 16, 1886.

Application filed August 18, 1886. Serial No. M1216.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT G. MORE- HOUSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oroton Landing, in the county of Westchester and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Underground Tubes, for Electric Wires; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in underground tubes for electric wires, whereby a more complete and efiicient protection and insulation are produced, and whereby a larger number of wires can be laid in a much smaller space and at a much less expense than formerly.

The novelty of this invention lies principally in the construction of the tube, which is preferably a smallwrought-iron pipe or tube lined on the inside with an inseparable coating of enamel, which serves to insulate the wire from the iron of the pipe, and in a series of such pipes or tubes combined with a separate wire for each pipe or tube, so thatwhether the wires are for like or various purposes, each is completely insulated and independent of the other.

As there are many ways in which wires may be assembled together in conductors of this construction, I will describe onlya few,which are deemed by me to be the best, cheapest, and most expedient, attention being invited to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 represents in cross-section a single wire inclosed in azconductor. of any improved construction; Fig. 2, a perspective view of a series of such conductors and their wires bundled together, and each coated on the outside with asphalt or some other material impervious to dampness and moisture; and Fig. 3, a cross-section of a series of such conductors and their wires, all inclosed by a single large tube or box.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings, a denotes an ordinary nakedor untreated electric wire, which is inclosed by a pipe or tube, b, .made from iron or steel, which is deemed the best metal for the purpose.

For cheapness and efficiency I prefer to use gas tubing or piping, as such comes smaller and nearer the desired size, being usually about three-fourths of an inch in diameter inside, which is amply sufficient for telegraph, telephone, or electric-light wires. Such tubing or piping I line on the inside with an inseparable coating of enamel, c, composed of the following ingredients in about the following proportions, viz: one hundred and eight parts of white flint; seventy parts of feldspar; sixty parts of paris-white; twelve parts of china-clay; two hundred and fifty parts of borax. For the paris-white and borax wellknown equivalents may be used. I, mix these ingredients thoroughly and pack in crucibles or other suitable vessels and calcine in a low red heat for about twenty-four hours, untilthe mass reachesa gentle fusion, so that when cool it will presenta crystalline appearance. When cool, I crush the mass and grind it (dry)until it is fine enough to pass through a wire-cloth having one hundred meshes to the inch. I then add to the whole amount about one hundred parts of red lead and mix thoroughly,

' making one homogeneous mass-all dry-and then mix with benzine or any other liquid that will soon evaporate, until the mixture assumes the consistency of cream. It is then ready to be applied to the pipes or tubes, which must be first thoroughly cleansed by the use of brushes or other suitable tools, and then rinsed out with lime-water and dried. I

The enamel can be applied to the inside of the pipes or tubes in a variety of ways; but about the easiest and best way is to place the pipe or tube in a horizontal position with one end a little higher than the other, which should be closed with a plug or stopper. Then inject the enamel in its liquid state until the pipe or tube is full, when the plug or stopper should be drawn and the liquidenamel allowed to run out into a vat or vessel, (so that it can beiused again,) and at the same time the its action under heat, therefore for the different qualities and kinds (cast, wrought, &c.) the proportions of the component parts of the enamel must be varied somewhat to meet the requirements.

To protect the pipe or tube thus made from the destroying effects of dampness and moisture, it may be coated on the outside with asphalt or some other material impervious to such elements, as represented at (Z. Vhen a large number or series of such pipes or tubes are to belaid together, they may be bound up into a bundle by means'of suitable metal bands or stout wires, as shown in Fig. 2, or they may be first wrapped up in a sheet of some waterproof material and then bound together, in which case the outside coating could be dispensed with; or, as shown in Fig. 3, they may all be inclosed by alarge tube or box suitable to hold them together and give proper protection from the dampness and moisture of the earth. It will be understood, however, that, as heretofore stated, these pipes or tubes may be laid in many other ways, or that they may be laid without being bound together, or without a covering of any kind, but must be lined with an inseparable coating of enamel, and each pipe or tube must inelose but one wire only, and these pipes or tubes may be connected together longitudinally, as gas-pipes are connected, or in any other suitable way, so as to preserve the insulation.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the wires may be of smaller diameter than those which are now used. for the reason that there is no strain whatever upon them, as there is upon wires suspended above or under ground, and consequently little or no repairing is nee essary. By conducting the wires in small pipes or tubes, as I have described, they can be laid very closely together, in fact they may touch, and as space is important in all large cities, the economy in laying the pipes or tubes in this way will be apparent, for as many as one hundred wires can be laid in the space of a square foot, and where only one or two wires are used-sueh as a branch of the main line they can be laid so much cheaper than can be done with poles or large conduits. Another Very important feature connected with this construction and arrangement of the conductors, is' that connection may be made with any one of the wires at any point on the line. The arrangement which these conductors affords is also asserted to be of particular advantage over the present system of building large conduits, which occupy so much space and are so expensive, besides being obstructive to travel while in process of construction.

I am aware that it is not new to combine separately-insulated conductors together in groups of two or more, and do not broadly claim such arrangement; and am also aware that a tube composed of a metallic pipe and an inside removable lining of porcelain is old, and lay no claim thereto; and I am also aware that underground conduits for holding insulated wires with removable covers have been lined with porcelain cement to protect the wiresfrom moisture, and do not claim the same; but

hat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. For protecting underground electric wires, a series of small iron or steel tubes, each lined throughout with an enamel insulating compound fused thereon, and continually connected, so as to have an insulatingenamel throughout the entire series, substantiall y as described.

2. In combination with a small iron or steel tube lined throughout with an enamel insulating-coating fused thereon, a naked electric wire contained within said tube and insulated from the metal of the tube by the enamel alone, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT G. MOREHOUSE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE LooKwoon, CHARLES WESLEY. 

